A.M. Sullivan
Aloysius Michael Sullivan (August 9, 1896 - June 10, 1980) was an American poet, magazine editor, radio program host, and author of books on business ethics and philosophy. Life Sullivan was born in Harrison, New Jersey. He grew up in the northern New Jersey mining town of Oxford. His formal education ended with his graduation from St. Benedict’s Prep School in Newark, New Jersey, in 1913. After a series of odd jobs, in 1917 Sullivan went to work for the Submarine Boat Corporation in Port Newark, where he began the company’s in-house magazine, ‘’Speed Up’’. In 1919, he married Catherine Veronica McNamee and remained with her until her death in 1968. The couple had 2 daughters, Catherine and Mary Rose. They lived in St. Albans, New York until moving to Montclair, New Jersey, in 1953. Throughout this time, they summered in an 1840s house on the Musconetcong River near Hackettstown, New Jersey. This river and the wooded hills of northern New Jersey provided much of the inspiration for his poetry, which drew heavily on themes of nature. Sullivan’s 1st collection of poems, Sonnets of a Simpleton, was published in 1924. He went on to publish 13 volumes of poetry through 1970. In 1932, Sullivan joined Dun & Bradstreet, and soon moved into the position of advertising and public relations director. Later, he became editor of Dun’s Review and Modern Industry, to which he contributed articles related to business ethics, philosophy and management style. During this same period, he continued to write and publish works of poetry. From 1932 to 1940, Sullivan hosted ‘The New Poetry Hour’ on WOR Radio in New York City. This program was broadcast on the Mutual Network and featured live interviews and readings with over 300 poets and writers, including Edgar Lee Masters, Padraic Colum, Stephen Vincent Benet, William Rose Benet, Mark Van Doren, John Hall Wheelock, Harriet Monroe, MacKinlay Kantor, and many others. Proud of his Irish heritage, Sullivan was a board member of the Irish-American Historical Society. He made several trips to Ireland throughout his later life, and became proficient in Gaelic. He served as president of the Poetry Society of America for 5 terms. He was also president of the Catholic Poetry Society, and a member of The Craftsmen, a New York City poetry society. Sullivan retired from Dun and Bradstreet in 1971. He died in Montclair, New Jersey, on June 10, 1980. Writing Sullivan’s poetry reflects his broad interests, which included nature, technology, history, religion, and science. Many of his poems have appeared in textbooks, magazines, audio recordings, radio chorale and films. He is best known for his collection of poems, ‘’Songs of the Musconetcong’’, published in 1968. Recognition Sullivan was awarded medals by the Poetry Society of America on 2 occasions (1941 and 1976) and also received the Alexander Droushkoy Memorial Gold Medal in 1951. In recognition of his literary achievement, Sullivan received honorary doctorates from Montclair State College and St. Edward’s University. A collections of his poems, Songs of the Musconetcong, was honored by a resolution of the New Jersey State Senate in 1968. A biographical documentary on Sullivan, also titled Songs of the Musconetcong, was made and broadcast by New Jersey Public Television in 1979.Songs of the Musconetcong," WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Jan. 14, 2019. Publications Poetry *''Sonnets of a Simpleton, and other poems''. Newark, NJ: D.S. Colyer, 1924. *''Progression, and other poems''. New York: Chisholm Press, 1928. *''Elbows of the Wind'', New York: Kingsley Press, 1932. *''New Jersey Hills''. Prairie City, IL: J.A. Decker, 1940. *''Ballad of a Man Named Smith''. Prairie City, IL: J.A. Decker, 1940. *''A Day in Manhattan''. New York: Dutton, 1941. *''This Day and Age: A collection of poems of science and industry''. New York: privately published, for Dun's Review, 1943 **also published as *''Stars and Atoms Have No Size: Poems of science and industry''. New York: Dutton, 1946. *''The Ballad of John Castner: An unrecorded incident of the American revolution''. New York: Fine Editions, 1943. *''Tim Murphy, Morgan Rifleman, and other ballads''. New York: D.X. McMullen, 1947. *''Incident in Silver: A book of lyrics''. New York: D.X. McMullen, 1950. *''Three Choral Poems''. New York: D.X. McMullen, 1951. *''The Ballad of Dick Dowling: A Texas incident of the War Between the States''. New York: Irish American Historical Society, 1954. *''Psalms of the Prodigal, and other poems''. New York: P.J. Kennedy, 1954. *''The Bottom of the Sea''. New York: Dun & Bradstreet, 1966. *''Songs of the Musconetcong, and other poems of New Jersey''. Stanhope, NJ: Guinea Hollow Press, 1968. *''Selected Lyrics and Sonnets''. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1970. Non-fiction *''1841: The year of the prophets''. New York: Dun & Bradstreet, 1941. *''Opportunities in Retail Trade for Service Men''. New York: Dun & Bradstreet, 1945. *''A Century and a Half of Retailing on Manhattan''. New York: Dun & Bradstreet, 1946. *''The Three Dimensional Man''. New York: P.J. Kennedy, 1956. *''Human Values in Management: The business philosophy of A.M. Sullvan''. New York : Crowell, 1968. **published in UK as Successful Business Thinking: The business philosophy of A.M. Sullivan (with foreword by Peter F. Drucker). Slough, UK: Foulsham, 1971. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:A M Sullivan 1896-1980, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Jan. 14, 2019. Audio / video *''Songs of the Musconetcong, and other poems of New Jersey'' (cassette). Stanhope, NJ: Guinea Hollow Press, 1973. See also *List of U.S. poets References *“A.M. Sullivan, Poet And Former Executive For Dun & Bradstreet.” ‘’New York Times,’’ 11 June 1980, B10. *''Who Was Who in America with World Notables'', Volume VII: 1977-1981. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1981. Notes External links ;Poems *"Camera" ;Audio / video *The Poet Speaks: A.M. Sullivan on WNYC Category:1896 births Category:1980 deaths Category:American poets Category:People from Harrison, New Jersey Category:20th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets